Vehicle-top support.



No. 799,222. PATENTED SEPT. 12, 1905. S. MGR, BUCHANAN.

VEHICLE TOP SUPPORT.

APPLICATION FILED DEG,9,1904.

Inventor At tornegs SANFORD MOELORY BUCHANAN, OF CORPUS CHRISTI, TEXAS.

VEHICLE-TOP SUPPORT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 12, 1905.

Application filed December 9, 1904. Serial No. 236,195.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, SANFORD McELoRY BUCHANAN, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Corpus Christi, in the county of Nueces and State ofTexas, have invented a new and useful Vehicle-Top Support, of which thefollowing is .a specification.

This invention relates to an improved vehicle-top support, and has forits object to provide a simple, inexpensive, and efficient device ofthis character adapted to form a yieldable support for a buggy-top, andthereby prevent injury to the back bows when the vehicle-top is lowered.

A further object of the invention is to provide a bracket having anangular socket for engagement with the prop-bolt of the vehicle and uponwhich the yieldable support is mounted, and, further, to provide meansfor clamping the support in position on the bracket, said clamp beingadjustable longitudinall y of the support, to thereby regulate thetension of the latter.

A still further object is to provide a support having a pair ofspring-arms the ends of which are bent to form a tapering hook or loopadapted to receive a cushioning pad or saddle, said pad being retainedin position by means of a single rivet, which passes through the pad andengages the hook at the juncture of its converging side Walls, therebypreven ting both longitudinal and lateral displacement of the pad.

To these ends the invention consists in the construction and novelcombination of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended, itbeing understood that various changes in form, proportion, and minordetails of construction may be resorted to without departing from theprinciple or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification,Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a buggy-top, showing myimproved support applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a detail perspective view ofthe bracket and yieldable support detached. Fig. 3 is a transversesectional view of Fig. 2, showing the pad or saddle in position and thebracket on the prop-bolt. Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view of a portion ofthe tapering hook or loop and saddle.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all thefigures of the drawings.

The numeral 5 designates the vehicle-body, and 6 the top-bows pivotallymounted on the body as shown at 7,and supported by the usual hingedbrace 8, the latter being pivoted at the top to the central bows and atthe bottom to a prop-bolt 9, extending laterally from the vehicle-body,as shown. The prop-bolt 9 is square in cross-section and provided with areduced threaded extension adapted to receive a clamping-nut 10.Detachably mounted on the bolt 9 is a supporting-bracket 11, the bodyportion 12 of which is provided with a squared socket 13 for thereception of the bolt 9, said bracket beingclamped in position on thelatter by engagement with the nut 10.

The bracket 11, which may be cast or otherwise formed of metal or othersuitable material, is provided with a lateral enlargement 13, whichextends across the top of the bracket and terminates in a reducedcylindrical extension 14. The top of the bracket adjacent theenlargement is cutaway to form oppositely-disposed seating-flanges 15,defining a pair of spaced vertical shoulders 16, adapted to bear againstthe longitudinal arm 17 of the yieldable support.

The support is preferably formed of a single length of spring-wire, theopposite ends of which are bent to form terminal eyes 18, which mergeinto the longitudinal arm 17, the wire being then bent downwardly andforwardly, as indicated at 19, and thence upwardly and rearwardly toform a pair of spring-arms 20, the latter terminating in aforwardlyextending tapering hook or loop 21, adapted to support the pador saddle 22.

The pad or saddle 22 may be formed of leather, rubber, or other suitablematerial and rests on the top of the spring-arms 20, being adapted toreceive and support the back bow of the carriage-top when the same islowered. The pad or saddle 22 is provided with a transverse opening 23,defining a pocket 24. for the reception of the hook or loop 21, said padbeing locked in position on the spring-arms of the support by means of asingle rivet or similar fastening device 25, which passes through saidpad and engages the hook at the juncture of its converging side walls,as clearly shown in Fig. 4, thereby preventing both longitudinal andlateral displacement of said pad or saddle.

The yieldable support is secured to the bracket 12 by a pin or bolt 25,which passes through an opening in the enlargement 13 and engages theterminal eyes of the support, as shown.

Attention is here directed to thefact that the longitudinal arms 17 ofthe support rest on the seating-flanges 15 and are properly spaced apartby engagement with the vertical shoulders 16 of the bracket 11. As ameans for retaining the longitudinal arms 19 in engagement with thevertical shoulders 16 and also for regulating the tension of thespringarms 20 I provide a clamping member 26, the latter being mountedfor longitudinal movement on the cylindrical extension 14.

The clamping member 26 is preferably formed in two sections, one ofwhich is curved to conform to the shape of the extension 14: and isprovided with a central opening 27 and oppositely-disposedupwardlycurved ears adapted to receive the arms 17, while the matingmember or section is provided with a central recess or socket 528 andlaterally extending lugs 29, which pass through the opening 27. and alsoengage the arms 17, as shown.

Communicating with the socket 28 is an opening in which is threaded aclamping bolt or screw 30, the threaded end of which engages theextension 14, so that by tightening said bolt the two sections of theclamp will engage the arms 19 of the support and effectuallypreventaccidental displacement of the latter. By releasing the bolt 30 andadjusting the clamping member 26 longitudinally of the cylindricalextension the tension of the spring-arms of the support may be regulatedat will, thereby materially increasing the scope and utility of theinvention.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that I have provided adesirable and efficient saddle or rest for the support of a recliningvehicle-top and one which is adapted to absorb any jar incidental to thesudden descent of the top when it is rocked into a reclining position.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is p l. A device ofthe class described comprising a bracket, a yieldable support carried bythe bracket and consisting of a pair of spring-arms terminating in apad-supporting loop, and means for regulating the tension of saidspring-arms.

2. A device of the class described com prising a bracket, a yieldablesupport secured to the bracket and consisting of a pair of spring-armsterminating in a pad-supporting loop, and a clamp carried by the bracketand adjustable longitudinally of the latter for regulating the tensionof said spring-arms.

3. A device of the class described comprising a bracket provided with arectangular socket for engagement with the prop-bolt prising a brackethaving a rectangular socket formed therein for engagement with thepropbolt of a vehicle and provided with oppositely-disposed shoulders, ayieldable support consisting of a pair of spring-arms terminating in apad-supporting loop, and a clamping member for locking said arms inengagement with the shoulders of the bracket.

5. A device of the class described comprising a bracket having arectangular socket for engagement with the prop-bolt of a vehicle, ayieldable support secured to the bracket and havinga pair of spring-armsterminating in a pad-supporting loop, a pad engaging said loop, andmeans for clamping the support to the bracket, said means serving toregulate the tension of the spring-arms.

6. A device of the class described comprising a pair of spring-armsterminating in a tapering pad-supporting loop, a pad resting on saidspringarms and provided with a pocket for the reception of the latter,means for regulating the tension of the spring-arms, and a fasteningmeans passing through the pad and loop and engaging the end andconverging side walls of the loop to thereby prevent longitudinal andlateral displacement of said pad.

7. A device of the class described comprising a bracket provided with alateral enlargement defining a pair of spaced vertical shoulders andhaving a rectangular socket formed therein for the reception of thepropbolt of a vehicle, a yieldable support formed of a single piece ofwire the ends of whichare secured to said enlargement and extendedrearwardly and parallel with the spaced shoulders, the ends of said wireterminating in a pair of spring-arms adapted to support a pad, and meanscarried by the bracket for clamping the fixed ends of the wires inengagement with said shoulders.

8. A device of the class described comprising a bracket provided with alateral extension and having a socket formed therein adapted to receivethe prop-bolt of a vehiclebody, a yieldable support carried by thebracket, and a clamping member mounted on said extension and adapted toengage the support, said clamping member being formed in two sectionsone of which is provided with an opening and oppositely-disposed earsfor'the reception of the support and the mating section withlaterally-disposed lugs adapted to pass through said opening and alsoengage IIO 10 to said enlargement and engaging the seatingfianges, and aclamping member carried by the bracket for retaining the support inengagement with said flanges.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as myown l have hereto aflixedmy signature in 5 the presence of two witnesses.

SANFORD MOELORY BUCHANAN. WVitnesses:

B. L. CROUCH, J. G. JONES.

